238 FAMILY OF RIBAND-SHAPED FORM. 



more complicated confusion of names and dates, 

 likewise for a third description, alleged to have 

 been drawn up from a fish w^hich had been obtained 

 on the coast of Yorkshire in JMarch 1796, and to 

 which the name of the Gymnctrus of Banks (Sir 

 Joseph), and which was represented as having only 

 two ventral processes, or oars, as they have been 

 called, and not four. The data of which we are 

 possessed appear quite insufficient for enabling us 

 to arrive at any thing like satisfaction on the point ; 

 and these hints, with our Plate, must be useful 

 chiefly as exciting the attention of Ichthyologists to 

 renewed observation. Mr. Yarrell states that spe- 

 cimens have occurred more than once in Scotland, 

 but gives no reference for the statement : so far as 

 we remember, we have not happened to meet w4th 

 any. 



The Third Section of this Family differs from 

 the preceding in having the mouth widely cleft; it 

 contains but tw^o genera and a small number of 

 species ; one only is known as British. 



Gen. XXXYI. Cepola. — In this genus the body 

 is very long and much compressed, like the blade 

 of a sword, having a long dorsal, and an anal almost 

 equally so, and terminated by a pointed caudal fin. 

 The gape of the mouth is almost vertical, and it has 

 numerous sharp teeth : a few of the first rays of the 

 fins are simple. 



(Sp. 59.) a rubescens. (PL XYI.) The Red- 

 band, or Red Snake-fish, abounds throughout the 



